Contents

Name

The Griffon's name comes from the mythological beast griffon, which is usually depicted as a winged lion-like creature.

In Griffon's debut film, Latitude Zero, it is never given an actual name, but rather referred to as "Kroiga," which is also the name of the Black Shark captain whose brain was used for the monster's creation. Because of this, some fans argue that Kroiga is in fact the official name for the monster. Further adding confusion to the matter, Toho International eventually decided on making Griffon's international name "Black Moth," which is the literal translation of Kroiga; the combination of kuroi (黒い?) meaning black, and ga (蛾?) meaning moth. However, in countless Japanese publications including the Toho Special Effects All Monster Encyclopedia, the monster is listed as Griffon (グリホン, Gurihon?)[1][2], showing that Toho Company Ltd. still uses this name to refer to the creature in recent media.

Appearance

The Griffon is a giant lion with huge black condor wings grafted to its body.

History

The Griffon was created by Malik who surgically implanted the brain of the Black Shark's captain, Kroiga, into a lion and then grafted condor wings onto it. He also gave it some of his special growth serum. Malik gave it the first command of having it intercept the crew of Alpha, but it disobeyed and stayed perched in the mountains. Later, after the Black Shark had been caught in a magnetic field, Griffon swooped in seeking revenge on its creator. Griffon managed to knock off the laser turret which discharged at the mountainside, thus causing an avalanche which buried it and the Black Shark.

Abilities

Griffon is as strong as a lion and even more so because of Malik's growth serum.

Griffon can fly at Mach 2.

Griffon can use its claws in battle.

Griffon can use its strong jaws to cause damage to things such as the Black Shark's laser turret.